US embassy cable - 04TEGUCIGALPA498

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TERRORIST FINANCE: FOLLOWUP - HONDURAS

Identifier: 04TEGUCIGALPA498
Wikileaks: View 04TEGUCIGALPA498 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Tegucigalpa
Created: 2004-03-02 18:26:00
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Tags: PTER EFIN ETTC KJUS PREL HO UN
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS TEGUCIGALPA 000498 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EB/ESC/TFS, INL/LP, S/CT, DRL/PHD, AND WHA/CEN 
JUSTICE FOR OIA, AFMLS AND NDDS 
TREASURY FOR FINCEN 
PANAMA FOR CUSTOMS ATTACHE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, EFIN, ETTC, KJUS, PREL, HO, UN 
SUBJECT: TERRORIST FINANCE: FOLLOWUP - HONDURAS 
 
REF: A. STATE 37211 
 
     B. 03 TEGUCIGALPA 2939 
 
1. (SBU) Honduran cooperation on counter-terrorism finance 
continues to be strong.  As noted in ref B, the Honduran 
Banking and Insurance Commission promptly sends out freeze 
orders to the entire regulated financial sector each time the 
U.S. Executive Order lists are amended.  The financial 
sector, particularly the commercial banks, promptly undertake 
the requested searches for accounts by terrorist entities. 
To date, no terrorist funds have been found in the Honduran 
financial system, and Post believes this is the sole reason 
that the Government of Honduras has not yet frozen any funds. 
 
2. (SBU) This excellent cooperation has been ongoing in the 
context of the implementation of a much-improved Money 
Laundering law, approved in early 2002.  The GOH established 
a Financial Information Unit (FIU), rapidly following the 
entry of the law into effect.  A small U.S. Treasury 
Department money laundering technical assistance project is 
ongoing.  This work has already resulted in strengthened 
accountability by the banking sector in identifying and 
reporting suspicious transactions. 
 
3. (SBU) As part of its newly-approved IMF program, the 
Honduran government will be working closely with 
international experts during 2004 to upgrade regulations on 
confiscation, freezing, and seizure of assets and to start 
onsite verification of supervised entities' policies 
regarding customer acceptance.  The government has also 
pledged to introduce amendments in the penal code to clarify 
that terrorist financing and money laundering are punishable 
crimes.  These amendments will ensure that, if any terrorist 
financing assets are found in Honduras, there would be no 
legal grounds for the involved entities to challenge the 
freezing of the funds. 
PALMER 

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